Dr. Michael Smith is an associate in the San Diego office. His practice emphasizes chemistry-related IP, including small-molecule, pharmaceutical, and diagnostic technologies. He has extensive experience with preparation and prosecution of U.S. and international patent applications, strategic management of patent portfolios, patent portfolio analyses and due diligence, and patent infringement and validity assessments. He also assists with patent litigation, licensing, and re-examinations.

Dr. Smith received his B.S. from Texas A&M University, and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology, working with Dr. Robert Ireland. He received his J.D. from U.C. Berkeley, where he earned the Jurisprudence Award in Biotechnology and Chemical Patent Law, and received a Law and Technology Certificate. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, the AIPLA, and the ABA, and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

Prior to law school, Dr. Smith was a Senior Research Scientist and Project Creation Technical Leader in the agrochemical research division of Dow Chemical, where he led teams involved in the discovery and optimization of novel bioactive compounds. He has very broad experience in synthetic organic chemistry, and holds ten U.S. patents covering novel families of herbicides and methods for their synthesis.

Dr. Smith’s recent publications include:

• Donald S. Chisum and Michael G. Smith, “SmithKline: How the Expanding Inherent Anticipation Doctrine Affects Chemical Patents,” Morrison & Foerster IP Newsletter, vol. 1(1), pp. 1-6 (June 2005).
• Raj S. Davé and Michael G. Smith, “ SmithKline v. Apotex : US Supreme Court Declines Appeal,” Pharmaceutical Law Insight, vol. 2(8), pp. 6-7 (Sept. 2006).